1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to scaffolding for providing an elevated work surface. More particularly, the invention relates to safety features for securing assembled scaffolding to prevent inadvertent disassembly and potentially resulting damage and injury.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Those ordinarily skilled in the art will appreciate that scaffolding is designed to be easily and quickly assembled where needed and disassembled for subsequent transport or storage. Unfortunately, in providing quickly connectable/disconnectable scaffolding assembly mechanisms, many existing scaffolding systems sacrifice safety and are prone to inadvertent and unsafe disassembly potentially resulting in damage or injury.
Such scaffolding is typically modular, with each module comprising four vertical legs, two horizontal beams, four coupling braces, and a work surface or platform, with the braces adjustably coupling the beams to the legs, and the work surface resting upon the beams.
Existing scaffolding systems typically use L-pins for coupling the braces with the legs. The legs and braces are each provided with a plurality of alignable first and second holes, respectively, through which the L-pins may be inserted. Platform height may be adjusted by removing the L-pins, repositioning the coupling braces to the desired height on the legs and replacing the L-pins in the corresponding aligned first and second holes. One disadvantage of the L-pin design is that it presents a projecting handle portion prone to catching on passing objects which can cause the L-pin to be inadvertently removed from the holes, thereby uncoupling the brace from the leg. This is particularly true where vibration in the scaffolding or other circumstances cause the L-pin to rotate so that its projecting handle portion extends outwardly in a manner especially suited to catch or snag upon passing objects.
Furthermore, the platforms are typically unsecured on the beams, relying only on contact with a beam lip to remain in place. Where platforms are warped or otherwise damaged, or are improperly placed upon the beams, they are prone to inadvertently slipping off the scaffolding.
Because existing scaffolding systems use assembly mechanisms that may result in inadvertent and unsafe disassembly of the scaffolding structure, a need exists for an improved system incorporating safety features to provide a more secure and reliable elevated work surface.
The present invention solves the above-described and other problems and provides a distinct advance in the art of safe scaffolding. More particularly, the present invention provides features which may be used in combination or independently to more safely and securely couple scaffolding members, including coupling the braces to the legs and the platform to the beams.
The first feature provides a round-handled, spring-biased, rotation-limited G-pin for adjustably coupling the legs to the braces. The G-pin is removably insertable into aligned first and second holes in, respectively, the leg and brace members, and includes a perpendicularly projecting stop, preferably a small roll pin, which prevents the G-pin from rotating outwardly and exposing itself to passing objects. The rounded shape of the G-pin""s handle further minimizes potential snagging.
The second feature provides a lockable pin operable to support the coupling brace in the event the G-pin is inadvertently removed. The locking pin is insertable through a second pair of aligned first and second holes, parallel to the G-pin. The locking pin preferably extends completely through the brace and leg so as to provide a protruding portion adapted to receive a fastener.
The third and fourth features act to prevent inadvertent movement of the platform relative to the beams. The third feature provides platform pins welded or otherwise secured to the beams and rising upwardly therefrom to fit into pin holes drilled into the platform. Once the platform pins are received within the pin holes, the platform is prevented from shifting horizontally off of the beams. The fourth feature provides spring-biased C-clips operable to engage the beams and platform so as to prevent relative vertical movement therebetween and ensure that the platform will not inadvertently lift off the platform pins due, for example, to warping or vibration.
These novel features provide a safer and more reliable scaffolding structure than currently exists in the art, and are described in more detail in the section entitled DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT, below.